


Response to: Opening Up About Life

by Autumnalpalmetto



Series: Opening Up About Life [2]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: M/M, Post-Canon, discussions of body image
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:41:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21668410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autumnalpalmetto/pseuds/Autumnalpalmetto
Summary: Andrew Minyard gets invited to talk about body positivity on a podcast a few days after Neil, revealing more about himself than even Whitney realizes.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Opening Up About Life [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562116
Comments: 32
Kudos: 371





	Response to: Opening Up About Life

**Author's Note:**

> This work is a sequal to  
> [Opening Up About Life](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17524970) and will probably not make sense without reading that first.

The Whit Report

Episode 119 Transcript - Friday, September 23, 2016

Whitney Hayes: Hello and welcome back to The Whit Report! My name is Whitney Hayes and this week we are all about Body Positivity! My last guest this week is Olympic gold medalist Andrew Minyard! Welcome Andrew, how are you today?

Andrew: I’m here, so I could be better

Whitney: Okay, sorry about that. I’ll try to make it worth your time. So, you just participated in the Olympics last month and you’re just a couple weeks out from the start of a new Exy season. How’s that feel, are you excited?

Andrew: No, it’s my job. I’d rather stay home with my cats, but it pays the bills. 

Whitney: Okay... Changing the subject, this is the first interview you’ve ever done outside of your contracted obligations. Would you mind sharing the reason for that?

Andrew: Sure, Renee called me and said she was calling in a favor. I had no choice in the matter.

Whitney: Nice to hear you think so highly of me.

Andrew: It’s not about you. I don’t like talking and I don’t like people digging into my life. That’s literally the only thing interviews are about.

Whitney: Well, Neil Josten was here the other day and he wrote us both a little note for if the conversation dies down. Here’s yours.

Andrew: Thanks.

Whitney: Mhm, no problem.

Andrew: Are you not going to open yours?

Whitney: Mine says on the front “Do Not Open Unless Andrew Won’t Answer His”.

Andrew: Oh Josten thinks he’s funny. I’m not answering this right now, maybe at the end.

Whitney: Fair enough, are you okay with me opening mine?

Andrew: Go ahead.

Whitney: Oh goodness, okay... it says “Minyard, what are your thoughts on Love”.

Andrew: That Mother Fucker. I am never talking to him again. Isn’t this interview supposed to be about Body Positivity or some shit?

Whitney: Yes it is! We can totally get back on topic if this conversation is making you uncomfortable.

Andrew: I’ll answer it just give me a second to think. I was not expecting him to find a way to pull shit in an interview he’s not even in.

Whitney: Of course take your time! 

Andrew: What the fuck even are my thoughts on love. I’m married, did you know that?

Whitney: I did not know that, actually.

Andrew: Exy’s best-kept secret right? 

Whitney: Huh, that’s exactly what Neil Josten said when he told me he’s married.

Andrew: What a _weird_ coincidence. Anyway... Moving on... My partner and I have been together for 9 years now, married for 5. The last year we dated and the first year of our marriage was long-distance... And when your partner is on the other side of the country and you haven’t seen them in a month and it will probably be another 3 or 4 weeks before you see them again Love doesn’t mean shit. At that point, it would be easier and less painful to give up. So it takes this incredible amount of commitment on both sides. To me, Commitment means more than love ever will. Do I love my partner? Yes, of course. Do I think that’s the most important part of our marriage? No. No, I do not.

Whitney: I can totally see where you’re coming from, would you be comfortable expanding on that idea?

Andrew: I graduated a year before my partner, with my cousin and my brother. My cousin had been in a long-distance relationship the entire time I’d known him, so around 8 years. As he was leaving to go live in Germany, we were all saying goodbye in the Airport. And he walks up to me and my partner and starts will the I’ll miss you both and everything, but then the last thing he said to me was “This won’t work unless you make it work”. At the time we were both like yeah no shit thanks that’s how everything works. Then about a month into living in different cities, we both had the worst day ever at the same time. That night when we were talking on the phone we were both like yeah my day was fine because we didn’t want to upset each other. And because we are both the suffer in silence type. I could tell something was up, and I’m sure they could too, so I asked do you really want to do this? I have never been more relieved than when I heard them say “yes of course”. That was the point that we realized something wasn’t working and we had to actively choose to fix it. After a long day when you’re tired and just want to go to bed, it’s so easy to say let's skip the call tonight, which is something we had both done a few times that first month, but that adds up so quickly. I hate talking on the phone, and my spouse hates it even more. We really had to commit to working on our communication. Staying together is an active choice that we make every day regardless of love. 

Whitney: Okay... hmmm...

Andrew: I shouldn’t say regardless of love. We do love each other. As I mentioned earlier love is not always the easiest option. So, it would be more accurate to say that staying together is an active choice, a commitment really, that we make every day regardless of how difficult the situation is. 

Whitney: That’s really beautiful. I feel like that might be easier said than done. 

Andrew: Absolutely. We were very young when we got together and we got married young too, which makes it harder. All the cliche shit is true: don’t go to bed angry, make time for each other, say it out loud.

Whitney: Say it out loud?

Andrew: Yes, don’t forget your manners basically. It’s easy to forget to say thank you for everything, especially if they do a lot or if you are together all the time. That makes me sound like an asshole. If it’s their turn to do laundry, remember to thank them for it. Something I’ve had to specifically work on is taking time to say I appreciate you. 

Whitney: Oh no, you don’t sound like an asshole, I totally had that problem in college. Ya know, with like the chore chart and no one really noticing if you do your shit, but then if you forget one time all hell breaks loose. 

Andrew: Exactly. 

Whitney: So now that we’ve used up half our time on Neil’s question. Let’s get back to the program.

Andrew: Sounds good.

Whitney: Body Positivity. How do you feel about it?

Andrew: Well, obviously, I’m exactly five feet tall. I was always the smallest kid in school, even now I’m the shortest person on my team by about six and a half inches. 

Whitney: Isn’t Neil Josten on your team? He’s 5’3”.

Andrew: Not counting Neil. As the smallest kid, I got picked on a lot so I eventually stopped caring how tall I was and chose to work out and fight back instead. No one bothers you about being short if they know you’re strong enough to kick their ass. By the way, kids, don’t be me. Talk to trusted adults and go to therapy. 

Whitney: *laughs* oh my god, I love you. I’m sorry that’s not funny, but like it kind of is. Seeing you now as a professional-looking adult it’s hard to imagine.

Andrew: I can admit it’s a bit funny. 

Whitney: Next question. As part of accepting your body have you done any modification? Like piercings, tattoos, ya know?

Andrew: I have a watercolor fox on my hip, I believe Neil talked about the story behind that on Monday, and then I have my partners initials under my wedding ring. We can’t wear rings during games, and our relationship isn’t public, so I like having that little piece of them with me. 

Whitney: That’s cute, we love a little matching tattoo moment. Does your partner have your initials on their ring finger?

Andrew: Yes. 

Whitney: You two are honestly marriage goals.

Andrew: Do you know who I’m married to?

Whitney: No I don’t, are you going to tell us... no okay, it’s all good. Moving on, Andrew who is your best friend?

Andrew: Neil Josten.

Whitney: So when Neil was here the other day, he said the same thing. He also said the reputation you both have for being violent is maybe inaccurate.

Andrew: I wouldn’t say inaccurate in general. I would say it’s no longer accurate. I think there was a time in our teens when it would have been very accurate, but that was ten years ago. 

Whitney: So you’ve grown up, is that what you’re saying?

Andrew: Listen here children, therapy works. I can’t say exactly why I’ve kept that reputation over the years, but I do know why Neil has. That man has no brain to mouth filter, if he thinks it he says it. He is the most frustrating person I have ever met. 

Whitney: Oh that’s interesting. I can totally see that in some of his more famous interviews. Neil also said that you have the temperament of a saint. What do you say about that?

Andrew: Neil thinks anyone with an ounce of self-control has the temperament of a saint. I’d say I’m slow to anger most of the time, but maybe I just think that because I’ve spent too much time with Neil ‘hot head’ Josten. 

Whitney: *laughs* Neil said all these nice things defending you, and you’re just throwing him under the bus. I love it.

Andrew: Neil said nice things? When? Was it before or after he called me an idiot twice?

Whitney: I don’t remember him calling you an idiot?

Andrew: He did. After this, go back and listen. 

Whitney: Really, when?

Andrew: Go listen and find out. 

Whitney: So Andrew, the Olympics. You played second string in 2012, what was it like to be starting Goalie this year?

Andrew: We took home Gold, so it wasn’t all bad. 

Whitney: Was it stressful going out there knowing the whole world was watching?

Andrew: No different than any other game night. 

Whitney: Would you say that you’re used to the attention then?

Andrew: Worldwide fame isn’t something you get used to, it’s more something you deal with. I cannot go anywhere without people knowing who I am, and that is not the life I wanted. I’m not complaining, I know how lucky I am, but I would like to be able to go to brunch without it being a newsworthy event.

Whitney: Fuck, that sounds rough.

Andrew: Some days, yes. 

Whitney: Well that’s a low note to end on. That it’s for today on The Whit Report! My name is Whitney Hayes and my friend today is Andrew Minyard! This week was all about Body Positivity, I hope you enjoyed it! Next week we are diving into Self Care.

Andrew: I actually still have to answer my note, if that’s okay. 

Whitney: Oh, shit I forgot about that, yeah of course, go ahead. 

Andrew: Because Neil is a fucking comedian, the note says ‘yes or no’ and I’m going to say yes. This is something we’ve talked about a lot over the last few years. Go back and listen to this again, maybe give Monday’s episode a listen as well, and you might find out something new. 

Whitney: Something new? Like?

Andrew: Looks like you’re going to have to go back and listen to figure it out.

**Author's Note:**

> Does that even count as coming out? They're so vague, it's going to take people like a day to get it and then everyone's going to be like "wait are they...????" until they eventually confirm it.  
> I don't care if this is OOC for Andrew, thank you for not commenting that. Andrew had time to prepare what he was going to say because this was scheduled ahead of time, Neil told him what they talked about, and Whitney let him listen to Neil's first.


End file.
